Section switch



W. SCHAAKE SECTION SWITCH Mar. 27, 1923- Filed Oct. 9, 1920 INVENTOR W1lllam Jcbaake ATfQRNEY 'wlTNEssE: 2%

Patented Mar. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SCI-IAAKE, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SECTION SWITCH.

Application filed October 9, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM SoHA'AKn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Section Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to section switches for electric trolley systems, and especially to switches for isolating branch lines from the main trolly line.

The object of my invention is to simplifyand improve the existing forms of section break insulators such as are used, for instance, to break the connection between a branch line in the heading of a mine and the main trolley line, where the trolley conductor is located near the roof. It is quite important to have the branch line effectively insulated from the main line, while at the same time means must be provided for readily connecting the lines.

Heretofore the diificulty has been to obtain, in a single structure, the necessary air gap and also an effective switch mechanism. I provide a structure which combines these two features, and have illustrated one form thereof in the accompanying drawing, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of a section switch embodying my invention and Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

A pair of end members or blocks 3, of conducting material having set srews 4, are provided to receive the ends of the trolley wires and maintain them in position. A third member 5 of similar material is located between the end members 8 and in spaced relation thereto, the spaces forming air gaps to prevent the passage of current along the several members. The spaces, however, are narrow enough to permit the trolley wheel to travel along the under sides of the members without the supply of current to the 'wheel being interrupted.

The three members, or blocks, are connected along their sides by a pair of wooden blocks 6, and castings 3 support a pair of contact jaws 7, while the member 5 has a switch lever 8 pivoted thereon. A. stop member 9 is provided to limit the movement of the lever 8 to the left.

A pair of hangers 10 are provided to support the switch from the roof of a mine,

Serial No. 415,789.

and, as shown in Fig. 1, are located so as not to interfere with the movement'of the switch blades 11.

When the lever 8 is moved to the left it carries the blades, simultaneously, out of engagement with the stationary contact jaws and "breaks -the connection between the ends of the trolley wires.

By locating the pivot point of the switch midway between the stationary contact members, in the manner shown, a firm support for the blades is secured, and they are kept in alinement with the contact aws. In those constructions wherein the blade is pivoted at one end, instead of midway of its length, the free end of the blade may sway, or bend, to such an extent that it will not engage the stationary contact jaws in closingespecially where it is of sufficient length to bridge more than one air gap.

My invention is not limited to the specific structure illustrated, but may be modified in various ways, without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a trolley-conductor section switch, the combination with metal terminal members connected to the ends of adjacenttrol- Icy-conductor sections and each having an intermediate metal member having a trolley-runner portion, a trolley-runner portion disposed in spaced alignment with said first trolley-runner portions to provide series-rt lated air gaps in the conductor circuit, and a pair of flat insulating members extending along the respective sides of the switch and transversely secured to all of said members, of a single switch for shunting the air gaps comprising oppositely facing stationary contact-jaw members disposed one on the upper side of each terminal member, a horizontally disposed switch-lever plate vertically pivoted to the upper side of said intermediate memher, and a pair of switch-blade members secured in position on the plate in flat surface engagement therewith and projecting oppositely for co-operation with said stationary contact jaw members.

2. In a trolley-conductor section switch, the combination with metal terminal members connected to the ends of adjacent trolley-conductor sections and each having a trolley-runner portion, an intermediate metal member having a trolley-runner portion disposed in spaced alignment with said first trolley-runner portions to provide series-related air gaps in the conductor circuit and insulating side members for supporting all of said members, of a single switch for shunting the air gaps comprising a stationary contact member disposed on the upper side of each terminal member, a vertically-pivoted switch-arm structure movable in a horizontal plane above the device for electrically connecting said intermediate member to each of said terminal members, and means on one of said insulating side members for limiting the opening movement of the switch.

3. In a trolley-conductor section switch,the combination with metal terminal members connectedtto the ends of adjacent trolleyconductor sections and each havinga trolleyrunner portion, an intermediate metal member having a trolley-runner portion disposed in spaced alignment with said first trolleyrunner portions to provide series-related air gaps in the conductor circuit and insulating side members for supporting all of said members, of a single switch for shunting the air gaps comprising a stationary contact member disposed on the upper side of each terminal member, a vertically-pivoted switch-arm structure movable in a horizontal plane above the device for electrically connecting said intermediate member to each of said terminal members, and a metal stop member secured to one of said insulating'side members and projecting above the same into the plane of movement of the switch-arm structure. v

4. A trolley-conductor section switch comprising a plurality of spaced metal members each having a trolley-runner portion, insulating side members for supporting all of said metal members, oppositelyfacing stationary contact jaw members disposed one on the upper side of each outer metal member, aswitch blade device vertically pivoted to the upper side of an intermediate metal member to engage the open sides of said stationary jaw members, and a plurality of hanger-supporting means located adjacent the closed sides only of said jaw members.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of ()ctober, 1920.

WILLIAM SCHAAKE.

Certificate of Correction. It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,449,915, granted March 27,

1923, upon the application of William Schaake, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for an improvement in Section Switches, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, lines 84 and 85, claim 1, strike out the Words an intermediate metal member having and insert the same to follow after the Word portion, line 87 and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of May, A. D., 1923.

[SEAL] KARL FENNING,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

